Amy Wright - Music Tuition

It can be really helpful to step back and think about what you're trying to achieve on your instrument right now. Perhaps it's a particular skill or technique, or maybe you're working towards an exam or a performance.
I'm currently working towards my Grade 2 Harp exam and building up enough repertoire to be able to go and play in local old people's homes next year 🤞🏻

Recording yourself is such a great tool during practice. While you're playing, you're thinking to hard about what you're doing that you're hearing but not really listening. Listening back to what you did intentionally can really highlight places to improve and work on, and saving recordings to compare yourself to over time can really show progress which is sometimes hard to spot.

All my pupils are automatically added into a prize draw each month to receive a book of sheet music. I love spinnning the wheel and choosing a book for the winner that I think will suit their preferences and skill level!

Which is your favourite film soundtrack/piece of music from a film? The Amelie soundtrack has to be up there for me, as is Les Choristes - maybe the French are just really good at film scoring? 🎶

Put your phone on DND or silent (or in a different room if you don't need it for recording or as a metronome), make sure people in your house know to leave you alone for a set time, grab your pencil, sheet music, practice notebook, drink, and perhaps metronome and/or recorder, and be prepared to commit for the period of time that you're there for. Our attentioion is so easily stolen and distractions are everywhere. Really try to stay focused and on task for the shot period of time with your instrument.

This is something I'm always thinking about and trying to work out more ways of implementing. But music is better when it's shared with others, and pupils make huge progress when working in an ensemble setting. I have a saxophone ensemble for pupils wanting to develop their playing, and I'm always trying to work out ways of setting up piano duet sessions! 🎹

I listen to all sorts of podcasts; some music-related (mainly harp ones at the moment) and some not (everything from personal finance to tarot, history to mental health!) but I particularly enjoyed this one recently. It's an interview with an adult harp learner but I found it really interesting and thought you might too: https://f.mtr.cool/hzjyhsucaw

Having something to work towards is a real motivator and focuser in practice sessions. It could be a longer term goal such as an exam ("so I need to make sure I'm working on my scales and then adding dynamics to my List C piece") or a goal just for that session ("I really want to perfect the rhythm in that 4-bar section, I'm just not quite getting it right yet") but having an aim is mind is like having a lighthouse beam to follow and keep you on track.

I love teaching with the Piano Adventures method and find it suits most pupils. I'm gradually recording every book in the series, both the pupil pieces and the teacher duets. Lots of pupils find it easier to have an example of a piece to listen to, to help them to work out if they're playing it right and to have an idea of what they're working towards. And who doesn't want to be able to play duets with me in the comfort of their own home!? 😂